British Sugar has warned that a proposed old people's home in the shadow of its York factory could be in danger from Legionnaires Disease - because of its cooling towers.

Bosses from the plant, off Boroughbridge Road, told York planning chiefs the towers were a "potential source" of the disease and therefore objected to a proposed elderly nursing home being built nearby. Frail pensioners are considered most at risk from the illness. But a company spokesman said today that the towers were regularly monitored and reassured residents that there was no threat of an outbreak.

Outbreaks of Legionnaires usually occur after people have inhaled infected mists that come from a water source such as cooling towers, whirlpool spas and showers.

NHP Operations has applied to build the nursing home on the site of the former Donnelley printing works, off Boroughbridge Road, to provide 80 bed spaces for the "elderly frail" and "elderly mentally infirm". The home would be 150 to 200 metres from the cooling towers.

City of York Council planning officer Richard Graham said there was a risk the factory's cooling towers "could generate Legionnaire's Disease", but its bosses had a responsibility to ensure that they did not.

He said British Sugar had lodged an official objection to the proposal as its close proximity would "introduce a high risk group that will need to be considered under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations - at a cost to British Sugar".

Councillors have already granted Persimmon and Barratt permission to build 257 homes on the site.

The British Sugar spokesman said: "There is always a recognised risk of an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease with water cooling operations.

"We carry out comprehensive monitoring of our plant to make sure there is no risk. There has been no risk and there is none, but it seems a little strange to build a nursing home when it's recognised that elderly people are at an increased risk from catching Legionnaires."

The matter will be discussed at a planning meeting next Thursday.

Updated: 10:42 Wednesday, April 07, 2004